Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-03-19


favor them, His successor Whitgift
proposed as test OF orthodoxy a sub
scription to three articles, which as
serted that the queen was the supreme
head of the church, that the ordnal and
Book of Common Prayer contained
nothing contrary to the word OF God,
and that the thirty-nine articles were
to be admitted as agreeable to The Holy
Scriptures.
To these the Puritans opposed
others; but the Archbishop prevented
every charge on the constitution OF the
church. Thacker and Coping, two
non-conformlng ministers, and Wills
ford, their lay disciple, were indicted
and convicted under a recent statute.
Wilsford saved his life by taking the
oath of supremacy; the others refused,
and died martyrs to their religious
principles. When the most stringent
laws we're enacted under Elizabeth
against the Catholic, it was observed
that among those who gloried in the
execution of these 'Godly laws" none
were more distinguished by their
violence than the Protestant recusants.
But if Elizabeth allowed them to dis
play their zeal by tormenting her
Catholic subjects, she was still watchful
that they did not lay their irreverent
hands on the Book OF Common Prayer,
and continued to prohibit the new form
of service which they had established
for themselves. The publication of
pamphlets in their interest was pro-
hibited. Udal, the author of one of
these works, was condemned to death,
though the sentence was not executed.
Cartwright, the leader of the non-con-
formists, with his associates were
thrown into prison for obstinacy.
Hocket, fanatic who proposed to
believe that his body was animated
with the soul of John the Baptist, was
executed.
By an act Of parliament in 1898,
Protestant like the poorer Catholic
recusant, was made liable to the penal
ty of Punishment, or felony without
benefit of clergy, unless he conformed
within three months after conviction.
The Puritans were by this time divided
into two parties. The majority did not
object to some parts of the established
service. These, therefore, by occasion
al and partial attendance, eluded the
severity of the law. But there were
others, named Brownists or separatests,
who deemed every species of commun.
ion with an unchristian church a pol.
luton of their conscience, and, under
this conviction, braved with obstinacy
the threats and power of the queen
Several were executed, many more i'm
prisoned or banished, but these meas.
ures did not subdue the obstinacy o
the separatists. But the queen had
now grown old, the king OF Scots, her
presumptive heir, porfessed Puritanical
principles, and the leaders of the
orthodox party saw the danger o.
persisting in course which NIGH
draw upon themselves the vengeance
Of the next sovereign. The persecution
subsided by degrees, and the separa
lists enjoyed state Of comparative
tranquility, long before the death o
Elizabeth. On the accession of James
the Puritans relied with confidence or
the good will OF the new monarch
He had been educated from his infancy
in the Genevan Theology; he had re-
peatedly expressed his gratitude tc
God "that he belonged to the purest
kirk in the world, and he had publicly
declared that "as long as he should
brook his life, he would maintain its
principles. 81 These may have been the
sentiments of his more youthful years
but in proportion as the declining agt
Of Elizabeth brought the English sceptrt
nearer to his grasp, he learned to prefel
the Submissive discipline of a church
which owned the sovereign for it,
head, to the independent forms of 1
republican kirk, and as soon as he saw
himself possessed of the English crown
he openly avowed his belief that tn,
hierarchy was the frmest support o
the throne, and that where there wa,
no bishop, there would shortly be ne
king. He admitted the Puritan minis
ters to conference at Hampton Court
The result of the conference disap
pointed the hopes of the non-con
formists, but they did not dispair o
lettering their condition. The kinl
on the presentation of petition ir
their favor, spoke of them in terms o
bitterness which showed how little they
had to suspect the goodwill of the
monarch. 1t was, he said, to a similar